


Facing the facts

by fandomgurl77



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Clocks, Comedy, Confusion, Gen, Rated G for now, another weird idea i had to write down, objects come to life, ratings tags/warnings and characters may update/be added later, thomas turns into a clock, transference of spirits
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 23:55:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29675238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomgurl77/pseuds/fandomgurl77
Summary: Thomas is mysteriously sucked into a clock while it takes over his body!What could possibly go wrong?Chaos and hilarity ensue...**Rated G for now although this may change (as with tags and warnings); this idea was too good to not write about**
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

One day, the most peculiar thing happened while Thomas was examining an old clock.

 _‘What the??’_ he thought before momentarily lost consciousness.

A few seconds later, he woke up only to discover he was inside the clock, in other words, it was acting as his body.

‘What in the world??’ he said upon seeing his lifeless body on the floor, ‘Good heavens, I…I’ve transformed into a clock!’

Suddenly, the body woke and stood up, causing Thomas to jump – or a least his new hands skipped a few seconds anyway.

‘AAAHHH!’ he shrieked as his body began making rhythmic noises reminiscent of a clock – including chiming at the top of the hour.

 _“Dear me…’_ Thomas thought, _‘The world has gone crazy!’_

It was then that Andrew opened the door and walked in.

‘Ah, Mr. Barrow’, he said, ‘I just wanted to inform you that it’s almost dinnertime.’

However, he was not prepared for what happened next.

‘Tick tock-’ Thomas’ body - which was now inhibited and controlled by the clock’s spirit – said, causing him to stumble in shock.

‘Good one, Mr. Barrow’, he said, ‘You nearly had me fooled into thinking you were a clock, like the one on the table behind you.’

‘I am trapped in a clock, you silly footman!’ Thomas said while trying to facepalm, before realising he couldn’t anymore thanks to having rigid hands.

 _‘For crying out loud!!’_ he thought as the two men left the room, _‘I haven’t got time for this…’_

Unfortunately, he didn’t find the pun funny in the slightest as he tried to think of a way to revert everything back to normal.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided to continue with this story as it wouldn't leave my thoughts; I'm updating in very short chapters from here on, but *maybe* not as often as I'd like due to class work.

The next day, Cora and Robert were discussing something important in the drawing room.

‘Cora, dear’, Robert said, ‘I’ve decided that it’s time to sell that ugly old clock downstairs.’

‘What one?’ Cora asked.

‘You know…it’s _that_ square shaped monstrosity of a thing in the servants’ hall’, Robert said, ‘It’s downright hideous.’

‘Well, considering we have never bought it upstairs, I suppose we could get a replacement’, Cora said.

Meanwhile, Mary heard something strange from outside her bedroom door, as if a clock was chiming loudly.

 _‘What the?_ ’ she thought before opening the door, only to see Thomas walking past.

‘Ah, Mr. Barrow, it’s you’, she said, ‘Did you hear a clock chiming before?’

‘Tick, tock’, Thomas said repeatedly before leaving, only adding to Mary’s confusion.

 _‘O…k???’_ she thought upon closing the door, _‘Well, that’s weird…’_


	3. Chapter 3

Mr. Barrow?’ Daisy asked in the kitchen, concerned about the butler as he was sleeping in a chair, ‘Mr. Barrow, are you home??’

…

‘I don’t know’, Daisy said to Mrs. Patmore, ‘He hasn’t woken to anything in hours.’

‘He’ll be fine’, Mrs. Patmore said, ‘He just needs some rest, that’s all.’

Suddenly, as if on cue, Thomas woke up, giving Daisy the surprise of her life while almost giving Mrs. Patmore a heart attack.

‘Ah’, Daisy said after a few seconds, ‘I see you’re awake, Mr. Barrow.’

However, neither of the women were prepared for what happened next…

‘Tick, tock, tick, tock-’ Thomas said before standing up and making a loud chiming noise, startling everyone in the vicinity of the kitchen and hall.

‘What the??’ Daisy and Mrs. Patmore asked each other with confused expressions as they watched on, ‘He’s gone raving mad!’

‘Seriously, Mr. Barrow’, Phyllis said as she crossed the room, ‘You’re not a clock, so stop acting like one, for goodness sake!’

Meanwhile, Andrew could not stop laughing at the scene – that is, until Phyllis glared at him disapprovingly.

‘What?’ he chuckled.

‘It’s **not** funny, Andrew!’ Phyllis snapped at the footman, ‘Mr. Barrow might be in the middle of a serious medical or stress-induced event!’

‘Come on, Mr, Barrow’, she said as they left the room, ‘I think it’s time to see Dr. Clarkson about this.’

‘I sure hope it’s not anything serious…’ Daisy said, unaware that the real Thomas was trapped in a clock that had been sold that morning to a mystery buyer in the village.

Later that evening, Thomas woke up to find himself on top of a dusty bookshelf in someone’s house.

 _‘AAAHHH!!!’_ he thought as he looked around, _‘Where am I!?’_

Suddenly, a pair of hands picked him up and carried him on the hall into one of the bedrooms, where he was placed on a bedside table.


End file.
